Press on sweep wheel treads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608236-B2
Application number	US-202016984249-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2020
Priority date	Feb 1, 2017
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A sweep auger system having a driveshaft with auger flighting and a backboard extending a length from an inward end to an outward end. An input of a gearbox is connected to an outward end of the drive shaft and a sweep wheel having a plurality of notches, arms and feet is connected to an output of the gearbox. A drive shield is placed around a rearward side of the sweep wheel that forms a channel that is configured to capture grain agitated by the sweep wheel. A guide plate is connected to the gearbox and covers a portion of the gearbox. The guide plate angles from an upper outward edge downward and forward to a lower inward edge that is configured to urge the grain captured within the channel of the drive shield to move in front of the sweep auger system reducing grain left in the grain bin.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A sweep wheel system for a sweep auger system for grain bins, comprising:
a sweep wheel;
the sweep wheel having a main body;
the main body having a plurality of arms;
each of the plurality of arms having at least one feature;
a plurality of feet;
each foot having a main body;
each foot having an opening in the main body;
wherein a foot is installed on each of the plurality of arms;
wherein each foot is installed onto an arm by inserting the arm into the opening of the foot and pressing the foot onto the arm;
wherein when a foot is pressed onto an arm, the at least one feature of the arm engages material of the foot thereby frictionally locking the foot onto the arm.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the main body of the sweep wheel has a generally planar shape.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms are connected to a generally cylindrical peripheral edge of the main body of the sweep wheel.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms extend in a generally perpendicular manner from a generally cylindrical peripheral edge of the main body of the sweep wheel.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms are bent in a generally perpendicular manner from a generally cylindrical peripheral edge of the main body of the sweep wheel.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms extend a length from a first end to a second end, wherein the first end connects to an exterior peripheral edge of the main body and the second end is positioned a distance away from the main body.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms extend in a generally perpendicular manner to a plane formed by the main body of the sweep wheel.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sweep wheel is formed of a metallic material and each foot is formed of a non-metallic material.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one feature of the plurality of arms include a barb extending outwardly from opposing sides of the arm.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein each foot includes at least one feature that corresponds with and engages the at least one feature of the arm the foot is installed onto.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one feature of the plurality of arms engage a corresponding feature of the foot when the foot is placed on the arm.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one feature of the plurality of arms engage a corresponding feature of the foot when the foot is placed on the arm, wherein the at least one feature of the plurality of arms is a protrusion and the corresponding feature of the foot placed on the arm is a recess.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein each foot is attached to the sweep wheel without directly molding the foot onto the sweep wheel.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein each foot is attached to the sweep wheel without fasteners.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein each foot is attached to the sweep wheel without adhesives.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein each foot is held onto the drive exclusively by friction fitting engagement.

17. A sweep wheel system for a sweep auger system for grain bins, comprising:
a sweep wheel;
the sweep wheel having a main body;
the main body having a plurality of arms;
each of the plurality of arms having a pair of opposing features;
a plurality of feet;
each foot having a main body;
each foot having an opening in the main body;
wherein a foot is installed on each of the plurality of arms;
wherein each foot is installed onto an arm by inserting the arm into the opening of the foot and pressing the foot onto the arm;
wherein when a foot is pressed onto an arm, the opposing features of the arm engage material of the foot thereby locking the foot onto the arm.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the main body of the sweep wheel has a generally planar shape.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of arms are connected to a generally cylindrical peripheral edge of the main body of the sweep wheel.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of arms extend in a generally perpendicular manner from a generally cylindrical peripheral edge of the main body of the sweep wheel.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of arms are bent in a generally perpendicular manner from a generally cylindrical peripheral edge of the main body of the sweep wheel.

22. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of arms extend a length from a first end to a second end, wherein the first end connects to an exterior peripheral edge of the main body and the second end is positioned a distance away from the main body.

23. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of arms extend in a generally perpendicular manner to a plane formed by the main body of the sweep wheel.

24. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sweep wheel is formed of a metallic material and each foot is formed of a non-metallic material.

25. The system of claim 17 , wherein the pair of opposing features of the plurality of arms include a barb extending outwardly from opposing sides of the arm.

26. The system of claim 17 , wherein each foot includes a pair of opposing features that corresponds with and engage the pair of opposing features of the plurality of arms.

27. The system of claim 17 , wherein the pair of opposing features of the plurality of arms engage corresponding features of the foot when the foot is placed on the arm.

28. The system of claim 17 , wherein the pair of opposing features of the plurality of arms engage corresponding features of the foot when the foot is placed on the arm, wherein the pair of opposing features of the plurality of arms is a protrusion and the corresponding features of the foot placed on the arm is a recess.

29. The system of claim 17 , wherein each foot is attached to the sweep wheel without directly molding the foot onto the sweep wheel.

30. The system of claim 17 , wherein each foot is attached to the sweep wheel without fasteners.

31. The system of claim 17 , wherein each foot is attached to the sweep wheel without adhesives.

32. The system of claim 17 , wherein each foot is held onto the drive exclusively by friction fitting engagement.

33. A method of forming sweep wheel system for a sweep auger system for grain bins, the steps comprising:
providing a sweep wheel having a main body, the main body of the sweep wheel having a plurality of arms, wherein each arm has at least one feature;
providing a plurality of feet, wherein each foot has a main body and an opening in the main body;
pressing a foot on each of the plurality of arms by aligning the opening in the main body of each foot with an arm of the sweep wheel and pressing the foot onto the arm thereby locking the foot onto the arm by engagement between the at least one feature of the arm with material of the foot.

34. The method of claim 33 , further comprising the step of cutting the plurality of arms out of the main body of the sweep wheel using a cutting process.

35. The method of claim 33 , further comprising the step of bending the plurality of arms of the main body of the sweep wheel to extend in a generally perpendicular manner to a plane formed by the main body of the swee

Assignees

• Sukup Mfg

Inventors

• Olson Ryan Thomas

Classifications

• B65G65/4836

  and moving material over a stationary surface, e.g. sweep arms or wheels · CPC title

• B65G33/18

  with multiple screws in parallel arrangements {, e.g. concentric} · CPC title

• B21D53/26

  wheels or the like · CPC title

• A01F25/2018

  Bottom unloading units for tower silos · CPC title

• B23P15/00

  Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass · CPC title